"What do you mean we're going back?" shouted Diana, her strength and energy finally restored after resting for several hours.
"Didn't we just escape from that dungeon, and now you're trying to send us back!" Superman asked, a skeptical look in his eye. Though he, as well as everyone else, obviously objected to the idea of going back to the very place that intended to turn them all into carpets and coats, he knew Batman wouldn't concoct such a dangerous plan without having a logical reason; though it seemed impossible for any reason to support this plan. "What could we possibly gain from going back-"
"-Other than the risk of being locked up again," added Green Lantern.
"Well unless any of you know of another building in the area that has functioning electricity that can be used to contact the Watchtower," Batman asked without leaving the option of an answer open, "we don't have much of a choice." He said arrogantly, looking at each of his teammates.
"He's got a point," Flash grudgingly validated.
"But how are we supposed to get back in without being seen?" Diana asked skeptically. "They have to have cameras and alarms everywhere."
"Yeah, we barely made it out alive the first time!" John added. "And I'm sure they have it out for you now," he joked, flapping around Bruce before rudely landing on his head.
"Nobody said we're trying to break back into our cages," Batman explained, shaking Lantern off of his brow and brushing a loose feather from his ear.
"Bruce has a point," Superman said, supporting his friend. "If we could escape, and looking like this," he said, looking back at his tail as it rhythmically tapped on the ground at his side, "then breaking back in shouldn't be a problem."
"Apparently we're all too valuable for them to simply kill," Batman explained as he recounted his faceoff with one of the poachers who refused to shoot him and Wonder Woman back at the warehouse. "The most they'll do is lock us back up-"
"-Bet they've already given up on keeping you caged Bats," Flashed joked, "unless they've got a steel box to throw you in."
"And if we are locked up again, no doubt they're going to keep us separated this time," Superman added.
"That just might be what we want..." Batman thought aloud.
"What do you mean?" the others asked.
"After breaking one another out, we've already made it clear that we're in this together; if those thugs haven't already figured it out," Bruce explained. "Unless they want us all to escape again, they're going to keep us apart by any means necessary-"
"Which means spreading us throughout the building," Clark added as he elatedly picked up on Bruce's plan. "One of us will have to be near some type of control room or area with a computer!"
"And it's not a stretch to say it won't be you," Flash said to Batman sarcastically. Catching the joke, Bruce replied with a smirk. "Well we all know how to open a cage right? It should be no problem for someone to bust out and work the computers. Let's do this!"
"Granted everything goes accordingly," John advised. "What if this plan to get caught backfires? You just managed to get Diana off the operating table!"
"Which is why we won't all be present..." Batman replied. "It's too dangerous for all five of us to go back," he said sternly as he approached Clark and Diana. "You two will stay here in case anything goes wrong."
"What!?" Superman shouted as he and Wonder Woman looked at one another, insulted.
"It's too dangerous for you two to go back," Batman explained. "Between the five of us, it's obvious that you're the most valuable," he said to Superman. "And they were already prepared to kill you!" he said to Diana. "Count yourself lucky they only pumped you with tranquilizers, and not euthanasia." Bitter, but understanding of Bruce's reasoning, Clark simply exchanged a serious glare with his friend, refusing to argue. Insulted, Diana, on the other hand, stared at Batman confrontationally before storming off to the far corner of their hideaway. "Lantern, Flash and I will go back and search for a computer to contact the Watchtower. We're of lesser value to Luthor, so we'll have a greater window of time to search for a computer-"
"-And how do you know that?" challenged Diana, still angry at Bruce for cutting her and Superman out of the plan. "You already said they wouldn't shoot you before; who's to say you're not of equal value to Luthor?"
"-Well, I feel worthless," Wally sighed sarcastically, looking to John who jokingly nodded in agreement as they continued to listen to their bickering friends in amusement.
"That could've been because I had you with me," Batman retorted to Diana. "And I'm not going to risk your presence to find out."
"Well I'm not going to sit by and let you risk it in my absence!" she snapped back as the two continued to argue. Silently, Clark, Wally and John watched the two fight, staring off with each other as though they were preparing to attack one another. Even if they weren't speaking, their body language was more than enough to illustrate their emotions: Her tail flitting sharply and her once dormant claws were now erect and digging into the earth beneath her paws, Diana stared at Bruce angrily, a feral snarl baring her sharp fang-like canines, and an aggressive gaze showing her disapproval for his plan. Hoping to avoid a fight, the others watched apprehensively as the usually calm and collected Batman returned Diana's anger. While his feelings always seemed to remain a mystery to his friends, in this form, despite how he may have tried to conceal them, his emotions were all too clear. Though he managed to maintain some composure and control, never baring his teeth or displaying signs of aggression as apparent as Diana's, Bruce's agitation became just as visible: His long black tail stood stiff, elongating his back as his thick pelt stood on end. His muscled frame tensed, and his ears- once held erect in pride and dominance- briefly shot forward in aggression, before receding backwards in worry, not for his own life, but for those of his team.
"Stay. Here," he growled. The booming resonance of his gravelly, baritone voice rumbled from his throat as he held his ground; looking away to Superman, who immediately understood, and back to Diana.
After several more minutes of silent arguing, both Bruce and Diana finally ended their quarrel, allowing the team to formulate a plan. "So, Diana and I will wait here while you, Lantern and Flash go back to the warehouse," Superman dictated unenthusiastically. "Once there, you three can start looking for a way to make contact with the Watchtower."
"And how exactly do we plan to do that?" John asked skeptically. "We've already established that typing isn't exactly our strong point at the moment, and we won't have time to rewire their computers to respond to verbal commands-"
"- Not to mention a bunch of growls and barking might draw some unwanted attention," added Flash.
"We'll think of something," assured Superman. "The way that building is set up, I doubt their computers- if they even have any- will be that difficult to use."
"And if this does work," asked Wonder Woman, slowly calming down from her argument with Batman. "How will Clark and I know where you three are or when you're ready?"
"I'll call you," Batman replied bluntly. Confused at first, Diana prepared to ask Bruce what he was talking about, but remembering their time in the city, she soon understood what he meant.
"So, when do we leave?" asked Flash anxiously. "I know I speak for everyone when I say that I am more than ready to be human again! Besides," he continued as he looked around at his friends and the varying degrees of wear on their coats. "I think it's safe to say we could all use a good bath!" he joked, focusing on Superman's once white paws and the splattered dirt on Batman's chest and tail. Collectively the team shared a quick laugh- Batman included- before they formulated plan of entry.
"We'll leave before sunrise," Batman directed as he used his claws to draw out a plan of attack in the dirt. "Our best bet is to purposely get caught. There are traps everywhere in these woods, all we have to do is set one off and make it look like we've been caught."
"They'll remember you without a doubt," Lantern commented to Batman. "Not likely they'll believe you stumbled into one of those traps."
"Precisely why I won't be getting caught..." he said before looking at Flash with a devilish grin.
"Hold on," Flash said suspiciously, slowly backing away from his teammates in fear. "I don't like where this is going..."